


Pool Party

by burnie-church (CereittanyPrincess15)



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Fluff, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-31
Updated: 2017-01-31
Packaged: 2018-09-21 05:28:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9533777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CereittanyPrincess15/pseuds/burnie-church
Summary: When Burnie becomes too stressed out from playing his role as The Gauntlet's announcer, Joel finds a way to bring him back to earth.(Originally posted November 8th, 2013)





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'll be reposting all my fics from tumblr, so here's my very first RT fic to start it all off <3

No one had expected this, especially not Burnie. His company was made up of people who played games for a living, the key group being Team AH, and yet they were eliminated and the Community Team were still present and in the Final Two. He wasn't actually mad at them, in fact he was proud, but he had to put on the act of intense frustration and rage for the cameras, and pretending like he didn't want someone on the team to win was taking quite the toll on him.

Joel sat with him in their dressing room, going over his lines and writing down some changes as he saw fit while Burnie muttered to himself, his eyes fixated on the page in front of him as he worked himself up to the anger he would have to portray in a few minutes. Joel occasionally looked up at him, watching his face in the large mirror's reflection and seeing the way it would change from anger to just plain stressed almost as soon as he was done. He stopped looking when Burnie caught his eyes mid-sentence and they both went back to their scripts.

Filming the scene was almost impossible. Joel was used to playing this part by now, and Burnie had done it before, but with each new take they had to do it only seemed to stress him out more and more until he was screaming out his lines in Chris and Brandon's faces to the point where their surprise and slight fear became real. As soon as the take was done Burnie quietly apologized, called it a day and headed back for their dressing room without another word.

Joel stayed behind and helped with a few things before going over to the bar - thankfully it was still open - and grabbed a couple drinks. He walked down the hallway, saying goodnight to everyone who passed with a smile that was almost unlike him, before coming to a stop outside their dressing room. He leaned in, pressing his ear to the door and listening for any noise that would tell him that Burnie was in there and not in the parking lot heading for his truck.

Deciding to take a peek, he opened the door as carefully and quietly as he could, seeing Burnie sitting back in his chair with his head in his hands. He didn't seem to be crying, or upset at all really, just tired. Joel opened the door all the way and walked in, setting one of the drinks next to Burnie and waiting for him to speak; Burnie looked up slightly, his eyes half-lidded as he stared at the glass before picking it up and downing its contents in one go. He set it back down, muttered a slight thanks, and went back to his earlier position. Joel sighed, downing his own drink before taking Burnie's glass and heading out.

The man sat in silence for what felt like hours, glad the scene was over but knowing that if the Community Team continued to win he'd have to keep up the act a little longer and the thought of that put a rather unpleasant weight on his shoulders. It was easy to be fun and snarky at conventions and to his employees because everyone expected it, and he had been just as cold in the first season, but for some reason he just couldn't say his lines without feeling like the team was taking his words seriously and honestly thinking that he wanted them out. They knew it was coming; they had been briefed about how he and Joel were supposed to act and knew that it was the running joke of the season, but still...

Burnie didn't expect to hear footsteps enter the room before his chair was being pulled out and someone was grabbing him by the arm and hoisting him to his feet. At first he wondered if he should fight back just in case he was being robbed or something, but then he opened his eyes, blinking against the lights that were suddenly too bright, and saw messy black hair that could only belong to one person. 'C'mon,' Joel told him as he dragged him down the hall, and because he was so tired he allowed himself to follow.

They walked in silence, save the time where Burnie asked where they were going, until they reached the theatre. Joel led him down the stairs and to the stage where the Immunity Pool was lying on the floor, illuminated by the stage lights. He wanted to ask why no one had put it away yet when he noticed the water in it, Joel walking them up to it and rolling up his pants legs. 'Are you serious?' Burnie asked when Joel then took off his shoes and socks, splashing around in the water to make sure it was still okay. 'Joel, we're not 5 years old, we're not gunna swim in the kiddie pool.'

'Shut up and take off your shoes. Miles and Kerry did it, so we can too.' Joel stepped into the pool and got used to it, the water going a little past his ankles.

'They barely fit in there!' Joel hunched down, wondering how uncomfortable it would be to just sit down and let his pants get soaked. 'Joel-' He was cut off when he Joel reached up and grabbed him by the wrist, tugging him down into the water and creating a huge splash over the stage. Joel snickered and leaned back to make room, both of them sopping wet in the surprisingly warm water, Burnie sitting up and wiping off his glasses. 'What did you do that for?'

'I told you to get in and you didn't, so I helped you. Now sit up properly and just relax,' Joel replied, spreading his legs so there was room for Burnie to sit up against his chest.

'Gross it's so warm- It feels like piss. Someone pissed in the pool. We are sitting in a pool of piss right now.'

'Just enjoy this with me, okay? It took like a half hour to bring all the water out here from the bathroom sink.' Joel grabbed Burnie by the shoulders and pulled him back into him, Burnie kicking out more water and thrashing about before doing as Joel said and relaxing, albeit against his will. Yes he was still fully clothed, shoes and all, and yes the warm water did feel rather uncomfortable, but it was better than it being cold water, not to mention just leaning against Joel like this felt pretty... good, if he had to put a word to it. Joel let go of him as soon as he was certain Burnie wasn't going to jump up and run, trailing water behind him all the way out to his truck, and placed his right hand on his waist while his left began to run through his curls.

They sat there in a silence that matched the one in their dressing room, although this one was comfortable while the other had been tense. Burnie relaxed all his muscles and leaned back a bit more, unintentionally leaning into the touch and ignoring the stray droplets from Joel's wet hand as he petted his hair, his thumb rubbing circles into his hip and causing him to let out a soft sigh.

It went on like this until Burnie felt his eyes grow heavy, a content smile on his face as he felt all the stress from before just melt away with Joel's touch, even as the water grew colder and he began to become very aware of the pattern on the bottom of the pool.

'Better?' Joel whispered in his ear, Burnie jumping a little at the sudden sound. He murmured a yes, nodding slightly when he felt Joel smile, his left hand coming down to rest on his waist as well. 'Good.' Joel tilted his head forward and pressed a light kiss to Burnie's neck, and he wasn't sure if the shivers running down his spine were from that or from the now cold water.

When Joel tapped on him to get up he didn't want to, the both of them rising and the very loud sound of all the water clinging to their clothes falling back into the pool echoing around the empty theatre. Joel stood there a moment, considering the mess they had made and were about to make as they left before shrugging and saying that the janitor was still there and could mop it all up. Burnie laughed for the first time that day and they stepped out, a rather large amount of water flooding the stage and exiting the pool with them.

At seeing the actual amount of water to be cleaned Joel had second thoughts about just walking out, but now he was cold and tired and Burnie was obviously very uncomfortable with his water-filled shoes, so he just shrugged again and led him out, the both of them chuckling and feeling like delinquent students sneaking out after curfew as they avoided the janitor and headed for their cars.


End file.
